BIOGRAPHY

George Paton enters his 8th season with the Vikings in 2014, serving as the club’s Assistant General Manager and working with General Manager Rick Spielman.

The duo have a long professional history together, having worked on the personnel staffs in Chicago and Miami before joining forces again in Minnesota.

George Paton enters his 8th season with the Vikings in 2014, serving as the club’s Assistant General Manager and working with General Manager Rick Spielman.

The duo have a long professional history together, having worked on the personnel staffs in Chicago and Miami before joining forces again in Minnesota.

The 2012 Vikings benefitted from an influx of young talent and spurred the squad to a Vikings-record 7-win improvement over the previous season, finishing 10-6 and earning a Wild Card playoff berth. The Vikings landed 3 draft picks on the All- Rookie team and a pair of rookies garnered Pro Bowl honors. Vikings FB Jerome Felton joined the team as a free agent in 2012 and went on to a career year, paving the way for Adrian Peterson to post the 2nd-best rushing mark in NFL history with 2,097 yards and earned his 1st career All-Pro and Pro Bowl recognition.

The Vikings roster development through free agency, trades and the draft built the foundation for the back-to-back NFC North Champions in 2008 and 2009. The Vikings tied a team record with 10 players earning Pro Bowl berths in 2009, 5 were acquired by the draft, 4 by free agency and 1 via trade. The 2009 team tied the 2nd-most wins in franchise history with a 12-4 mark in the regular season and advanced to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 2000. The Vikings 22 wins over the 2008 and 2009 seasons led the NFC over that span and ranked 2nd in the NFL.

Paton’s primary focus is coordinate scouting and personnel functions within the Vikings Pro Scouting Department and lend his expertise to the College Scouting Department as they prepare for the annual NFL Draft.

Paton spent 6 seasons (2001-06) with the Miami Dolphins as Director of Pro Personnel. Paton began his NFL career in the college and pro scouting departments of the Chicago Bears, rising to the position of Assistant Director of Pro Personnel in 2000.

A 4-year letter winner as a DB at UCLA from 1988-91, Paton was a part of a pair of Bruin bowl teams. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history and went on to play in professional football leagues in Italy and Austria.

Paton (pronounced Payton) and wife, Barbara, have a daughter, Bella, and son, Beau.